Coat hanger shoulder support attachment

ABSTRACT

This invention relates generally to garment hangers and particularly to a shoulder support attachment for use with coat hangers of the conventional bent wire type and that is intended as a throw away device along with the wire hanger after the garment has been removed therefrom.

United States Patent Davis, Jr.

[ 1 Jan. 14, 1975 COAT HANGER SHOULDER SUPPORT ATTACHMENT [76] Inventor: George B. Davis, Jr., 7512 Marbury Rd, Bethesda, Md. 20034 [22] Filed: Nov. 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 411,716

[52] US. Cl. 223/88 [51] Int. Cl. A47j 51/086 [58] Field of Search 223/88, 87, 98, 85

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,722,609 7/1929 Unkefer 223/88 2,123,369 7/1938 Luecke 223/88 2,284,979 6/1942 Lazarus 223/88 X 2,596,576 5/1952 MacSpadden 223/88 2,597,509 5/1952 Mallory 223/88 2,601,442 6/1952 Mallory 223/88 Primary Examiner-George H. Krizmanich [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates generally to garment hangers and particularly to a shoulder support attachment for use with coat hangers of the conventional bent wire type and that is intended as a throw away device along with the wire hanger after the garment has been removed therefrom.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures COAT HANGER SHOULDER SUPPORT ATTACHMENT Numerous shoulder support devices of this general type have been previously devised and many of which have served a useful purpose in preventing unsightly bulges forming upon the shoulders of a garment suspended from a hanger that offered too little surface support to the shoulder material for the weight of the garment suspended thereon. This is particularly true in the case of garments returned from the cleaners upon bent wire hangers where the garment is hunghot and damp from the steam press upon such hangers while the material of the shoulders is still soft and pliable. Bulges formed in this manner upon the shoulders, say of a mans coat, will alter the contour and cut of the coat and permanently disfigure the garment until again cleaned whereupon the damaging operation is repeated.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a cheap, preferably cardboard throw-away shoulder support attachment for a conventional bent wire hanger that may, when needed for a' garment such as amans coat, be sleeved over the curved ends of the hanger to lock therewith to provide a wide shoulder supporting surface for the garment as long as it rest thereon and which may thereafter be thrown away with'the hanger;

A still further object is to provide an inexpensive throw-away shoulder'support attachment fora conventional bent wire hanger that may be quickly and easily installed by the cleaner to lock with the hangerwithout the use of special tools or equipment.

In order that this invention may be more. readily understood, reference is now made tothe accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of the attachment of the invention as mounted upontheendof aconven tional garment hanger of the bent wire type.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view, partly cut-away showing the locking tab of the attachment as-in'lockingposition behind the curved end of the hanger.

FIG. 3 is a ssectional view in elevation'of the attachment and showing. the crescent cut-through which forms the locking tab of the device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional-view partly in elevation and partly-cut-away of the trouser support as locking with the attachment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the depending loop or sleeve as secured .to thegarment supporting plate of the device.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an alternate form of the device wherein the entire attachment is formed from one piece of material.

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation of thedevice of the invention as mounted upon a hanger of the conventionalwire type.

Referring now to the'drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 thereof, the device of the present invention is shown as comprised of a garment or shoulder supporting plate like member 5 which may beof any suitable configeration, desirably such as shown in FIG. 2. This plate, for cheapness, may be of a suitable cardboard or of thin plastic-and of a thickness sufficiently pliable asto conform generally, totheinner contourof the garment the plate is supporting.

Secured to the under side of the plate 5'is an angular looped member 6'formed preferably of a similar material to the plate and of a configuration that when properly telescoped over the curved end 7 of the hanger, will cause the angular inner surfaces of the plate 5 and member6 to bear uniformly against the adjacent surfaces of the hanger in the manner shown. This member 6 extends outwardly to support the projecting end of the plate which in operation serves to widen the hanger to conform more readily to the shoulder width of a conventional mans coat and for which this device is primarily intended for use. The flared edges 8 and 9 of the member 6 serves to further support and strengthen the plate to which it is secured preferably by being cemented thereto.

Formed within the member 6 is a crescent like cutthrough 10, FIG. 3 which operates as a locking tab that when pressed by the operator behind the curved end 7 of the hanger, locks theattachment to the hanger, FIG. 2, while further serving to force the attachment further inward upon the hanger by camming the sloping inner surfaces of the attachment into closer bearing contact with the hanger surfaces. This tightly fitting angular attachment, when sleeved over the angular curved end of a hanger and secured thereto by the bending of the tab l0, FIG. 7, provides a rugged assembly that will not separate from the hanger as garments are repeatedly placed thereon and removed therefrom.

To prevent a snagging effect by the inner small free end 12 of the plate tangling with a garment as it is placed upon the hanger, a hole 13 and slot 14 is provided in the small end ofthe plate as shown in FIG. 2 and which, as the attachment is being mounted, is pressedover the sloping wire portion of the hanger to interlock therewith in the manner shown. This arrangement prevents the small end of the plate from ever bending away from the hanger to interfer with the placingor removing of a garment therefrom. If desired a similar locking arrangement has been provided for a trouser supporting member 15 commonly used in the cleaning business and when mounted over the lower crossbar of the hanger will engage andlock with the hole 16in the attachment as shown in FIG. 4.

While FIG. 5 shows the device as comprised of two pieces of material such as cardboard assembled as shown, it is understood that it could be molded as one piece from plastic or formed from one piece of material bent as shown in FIG. 6 while being cemented or sealed at17. If desired, the member 6 could lap around the plate 5 to be cemented both beneath and to the top of the plate if: further strengthening or stiffening of the plate is required.

It is further understsood that instead of the device being secured to the hanger by the tab 7, the assembly may be stapled or cemented thereover, however such an assembly would be far inferior to the quick hand assembly method as now provided and shown.

What I therefore claim and desire to cover by letters patent is:

l. Shoulder pad support attachments for connecting with a conventional bent wire coat hanger having sloping garment shoulder supporting surfaces connected by curved endsto a horizontal cross-member said support attachments comprising shoulder supporting plates disposed for resting upon the sloping shoulder supporting surfaces of the hanger and adapted to extend beyond the curved ends of the hanger, each support having loop means depending from said plate and adapted for telescoping over the curved end of the hanger to closely bear along with said plate against the contacted surfaces of the hanger when moved to seating position upon the hanger, a tab formed upon said loop means and movable out of the plane thereof and positioned to lock behind the curved end of the hanger to fixedly secure said attachment to the hanger as the attachment is telescoped to seating position over the hanger.

2. A shoulder pad support attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tab is configured as a crescent provided and defined as a cut-through portion within the sides of said loop member and movable to lock behind the curved end of the hanger when the attachment is in seating position upon the hanger.

3. A shoulder pad support attachment as claimed in ing garment supporting member of the hanger. 

1. Shoulder pad support attachments for connecting with a conventional bent wire coat hanger having sloping garment shoulder supporting surfaces connected by curved ends to a horizontal cross-member said support attachments comprising shoulder supporting plates disposed for resting upon the sloping shoulder supporting surfaces of the hanger and adapted to extend beyond the curved ends of the hanger, each support having loop means depending from said plate and adapted for telescoping over the curved end of the hanger to closely bear along with said plate against the contacted surfaces of the hanger when moved to seating position upon the hanger, a tab formed upon said loop means and movable out of the plane thereof and positioned to lock behind the curved end of the hanger to fixedly secure said attachment to the hanger as the attachment is telescoped to seating position over the hanger.
 2. A shoulder pad support attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tab is configured as a crescent provided and defined as a cut-through portion within the sides of said loop member and movable to lock behind the curved end of The hanger when the attachment is in seating position upon the hanger.
 3. A shoulder pad support attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tab is operative when locked behind the curved end of a wire hanger, to cam the attachment into tighter seating position over the hanger.
 4. A shoulder support attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shoulder supporting plate is wider at the end which is adapted to extend beyond the curved end of the hanger.
 5. A shoulder pad support attachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein the narrow end of said shoulder supporting plate includes means for locking with the sloping garment supporting member of the hanger. 